--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-29/comparing-agricultural-total-factor-productivity-between-australia-canada-and-the-united-states-1961-2006/" title: "Comparing Agricultural Total Factor Productivity between Australia, Canada, and the United States, 1961-2006" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-13T07:40:46+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-13T07:40:46+00:00" post_type: "ipm" summary: "" ipm_issue_period: - "Fall 2015" ipm_keyword: - "agriculture" - "Australia" - "Canada" - "PPP" - "productivity comparison" - "public investment" - "R&D" - "TFP" - "Tornqvist index" - "United States" ipm_research_theme: - "Sectoral and firm-level dynamics" ipm_country_focus: - "Australia" - "Canada" - "International" - "United States" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp" status: "publish" --- # Comparing Agricultural Total Factor Productivity between Australia, Canada, and the United States, 1961-2006 Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-29/comparing-agricultural-total-factor-productivity-between-australia-canada-and-the-united-states-1961-2006/ # Comparing Agricultural Total Factor Productivity between Australia, Canada, and the United States, 1961-2006 [Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-29-3-Sheng-Ball-Nossal.pdf) Cite this article × Cite this article as: Sheng, Yu, Eldon Ball, and Katerina Nossal. 2015. “Comparing Agricultural Total Factor Productivity between Australia, Canada, and the United States, 1961-2006.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 29 (Fall 2015): 38–59. https://www.csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-29/comparing-agricultural-total-factor-productivity-between-australia-canada-and-the-united-states-1961-2006/ ## Authors: - Yu Sheng Australian Department of Agriculture - Eldon Ball U.S. Department of Agriculture - Katerina Nossal International Trade Centre ## IPM Issue 29 Fall 2015 pp. 38–59 ## Related IPM articles [Efficiency Adjustment of Hours Worked: Two Possible Modifications of a Jorgensen Production Model Barbara Fraumeni Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 103–115](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/efficiency-adjustment-of-hours-worked-two-possible-modifications-of-a-jorgensen-production-model/) [Labour Productivity as a Measure of Technological Change Ulrich Kohli Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 64–81](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/labour-productivity-as-a-measure-of-technological-change/) [The Relationship between Efficiencies Defenses for Mergers and TFP Growth Robin Shaban Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 82–102](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-relationship-between-efficiencies-defenses-for-mergers-and-tfp-growth/) [Appendix: Variable Definitions and Country/Sector Coverage for Regulatory Reform Analysis Gilbert Cette, Jimmy Lopez, Giuseppe Nicoletti, Océane Vernerey Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 1–18](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/appendix-variable-definitions-and-country-sector-coverage-for-regulatory-reform-analysis/) [Adult Skills and Productivity: New Evidence from PIAAC 2023 Dan Andrews, Balázs Égert, Christine de La Maisonneuve Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 41–63](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/adult-skills-and-productivity-new-evidence-from-piaac-2023/) [The Potential Impact of Pro-competitive Regulatory Reforms on Productivity and Growth in Canada Gilbert Cette, Jimmy Lopez, Giuseppe Nicoletti, Océane Vernerey Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 3–40](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-potential-impact-of-pro-competitive-regulatory-reforms-on-productivity-and-growth-in-canada/) [IPM Issue 49 Editors’ Overview Andrew Sharpe, Bart van Ark, Paul Schreyer Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 1–2](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/) [De-industrialization and the Great Productivity Slowdown: What Comes Next? Paul Fisher Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 115–138](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/de-industrialization-and-the-great-productivity-slowdown-what-comes-next/) [The UK Productivity Slowdown: A Review of Timing, Magnitude, and Drivers Josh Martin Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 1–34](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/the-uk-productivity-slowdown-a-review-of-timing-magnitude-and-drivers/) [Appendix: UK Productivity Growth Rates Across Data Vintages and Studies Josh Martin Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 65–73](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/appendix-uk-productivity-growth-rates-across-data-vintages-and-studies/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn This article provides a comparison of levels and growth of agricultural total factor productivity between Australia, Canada, and the United States for the 1961–2006 period. A production account for agriculture that is consistent across the three countries is constructed to estimate output, input and total factor productivity, and a dynamic panel regression is used to link the productivity estimates to potential determinants. We show that investment in public research and development and infrastructure plays an important role in explaining differences in productivity levels between countries. The findings provide useful insights into how public policy could be used to sustain agricultural productivity growth. G LOBAL AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT HAS more Cet article fournit une comparaison des niveaux et de la croissance de la productivité multifactorielle agricole entre l’Australie, le Canada et les États-Unis pour la période 1961-2006. Un compte de production agricole cohérent entre les trois pays est construit pour estimer la production, les intrants et la productivité multifactorielle, et une régression de panel dynamique est utilisée pour relier les estimations de productivité à des déterminants potentiels. Nous montrons que l’investissement dans la recherche et le développement publics et dans les infrastructures joue un rôle important pour expliquer les différences de niveaux de productivité entre les pays. Les conclusions fournissent des éclairages utiles sur la façon dont les politiques publiques pourraient être utilisées pour soutenir la croissance de la productivité agricole. [Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-29-3-Sheng-Ball-Nossal.pdf)